Creating from Within: On Boundaries, Transformation and Self-Expression
- Johanna Soós-Vári
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
Interview with Johanna Soós-Vári (Yohee Art)
1. Please tell us something about your background and your art journey so far.
I started out in 2011 with traditional photography, working on portraits and events. After a few years, I began to feel that this direction didn’t truly resonate with me. I often experienced a disconnect between what was expected and what I wanted to express, and in commissioned work, I rarely felt that I could fully show myself.
During the pandemic, around 2021, I began to seriously rethink my work and my personal boundaries. That period became a turning point, where I gradually moved towards a more conceptual and abstract approach. Since then, I’ve been creating images that feel much closer to my way of thinking and my inner world.
2. Describe what a normal day looks like as an artist.
There is no typical day for me. My work tends to be quite fluid and changeable, and I often juggle multiple things at once, which can sometimes feel overwhelming. Maintaining balance between self-sustainability, continuous learning, and developing my creativity is important to me.
3. Can you tell us more about the theme in your art and your inspiration?
I’ve noticed that during more intense or emotionally deeper periods, inspiration tends to come more naturally, and the images I create often feel stronger. I don’t usually start from a specific narrative, but rather from emotions or internal states, which later take on a visual form.
4. How does your art life impact other parts of your life?
Art has a strong influence on other areas of my life. It is not just an activity, but also a way of processing experiences. As it became a more central part of my life and I started to focus more consciously on self-expression, it gradually intertwined with my everyday existence.
This sense of inspiration doesn’t stay within the work itself, but extends into other areas of my life as well, often in a positive and supportive way.
5. Could you share any difficulties and hardships you had to face in life and how or if you managed/overcame them?
There were periods in my life when verbal harm and prolonged psychological pressure affected my sense of reality. This led to a kind of uncertainty where it became difficult to distinguish what was real and what was not.
As I began to create more authentically, I noticed that my inner stability started to strengthen as well. Art gradually became a form of self-therapy, helping me to better understand myself and the processes within me. Today, I am much more capable of handling these kinds of external influences.
6. Tell us about your best experience in the art world so far.
For me, the best moments are when an image truly comes together. When I feel that I’ve managed to capture something precisely that I could previously only sense but not express.
This is not necessarily connected to external validation, but rather to a kind of internal recognition.
7. Share your worst experience in the art world.
One of the most difficult experiences was being in environments where growth or success did not bring support, but instead created uncertainty. There were moments when, as I was beginning to find my own voice and become more confident, I was met with doubt or attempts to hold me back.
Over time, this taught me that not every environment is supportive of genuine development.
8. What practical advice can you give to fellow artists?
Don’t try to meet external expectations. I spent a long time doing that, and looking back, I see that it only distanced me from what I truly wanted to create.
Authenticity is essential. When you start working in alignment with yourself, even if the path feels uncertain, it creates a much stronger foundation. It’s important to give yourself time for that process, even when the direction isn’t always clear.
9. Is the artist life lonely? Please share your thoughts and experiences.
In some ways, yes. Many parts of the process happen in solitude, and it requires a certain level of inward attention. However, I don’t necessarily see this as something negative, but rather as a space where deeper perception and understanding can develop.
10. What are you working on at the moment and are there any upcoming events you would like to talk about?
At the moment, I am working on projects that explore the body, connection, and the boundaries between them. This current series is part of that direction.
In the future, I would like to deepen this line of work further and continue to connect conceptual photography with character-based and transformation-driven visual worlds.
social media:
